Oil-refining apparatus



H. A. W. HOWCOTT OIL REFINING APPARATUS Sept. 6,1927. 1,641,852

Filed Feb. '7, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 C) o 0 2X 45 46 4. 7' ,5. WITNESSES Cy INVENTOR A TTORNE YS E M 7 BYY/ZMMA 1,641852 p a, 1927. H. A} w. Homo" I OIL REFINING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 7. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ENGINE LIVE. 57:54 ,7

i1 s -z9 0 .T 40 9 4/ I W v 5 u 6 (on/K655517118 8 36 v WITNESSES INVENTOR 6 ATTORNEYS Patented sept. I 6, v 1927.

, Umr o asrATes P -TE T- OFFICE;

m A. w. nowoo'rr, or-Naw onneans, Louis ana.

OHI-BEFIR'ING' APPABATUSL application nae-gantr 7, 1924. swarm. an.

. This invention relates to an apparatus horizontal cylinders, serving as preheaters,

1 andinterconnectedwith a vertical cylinder in which the actual cracking occurs, in such a manner that the separated lighter hydrocarbons may be 'draw-n from the vertical cylinders, andcompressed air, which has been introduced into the horizontal preheaters will beretainedisubstantially in said preheaters.

A further object of the invention is the provision of .a' plurality of horizontal preheaters and a vertical cracking cylinder connected with said horizontal preheaters, with stirrers in said horizontal preheaters for maintaining the oils in said preheaters in a constant state of agitation and vertically reciprocated agitating elements in the vertical cracking cylinder for maintaining the hydrocarbons in said vertical cracking cylinder in a constant state of agitation.

- This invention will be best understood I -froma consideration of the following 'detailed description, in 'view of the accompanying drawing forming a .part of the specification; ne'vertheless'itis to be understood that the invention is not confined t the ap aratus described, being susceptible of T such c anges and modifications which shalldefine no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. v

In the drawings: v

Figure 1 isan end view of the battery of still units; j Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of one of the units of: the battery shown in Figure 1-.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a vertical section showing the spring pressed] valve for permitting the vapors of the lighter hydrocarbons-to escape under a predetermined pressure;

Figure 5 is a plan view ofone of the agi tating blades located in. the vert cal boiler.

Figure 6 is -a sectional view of the valve casing controlling horizontal boilers.

Referring more particularly to the draw the compressed air to the ings, 1 designates a frame supporting the first 'unit of .the batterygwhile 2 designates a frame of less height for supporting a sec- 0nd unit of the battery at a lower level than the first unit whereby the products of the cracking rocess carried on in the first unit may be directly conveyed bygravity to the second unit and thence from the second unit to a third unit .which is located at a lower,

level than the second unit, or in other words is placed upon the ground. Mounted upon for inspecting the burners 8, 9 and 10 whichare connected'with a pipe 11 for supplying gas, oil or other fuel to the burners. The burners may be regulated in a well known manner for varying the heating of the contents of the pr'eheaters which are. intercon nected with the vertical cracking cylinder.

Mounted on the furnace 3 are a pair of preheaters 12 and 13 which are connected at their inner ends to a vertical cracking cylinder 14. The preheaters 12 and 13 may comprise a single horizontal preheater with the vertical cracking cylinder 14 passing throu h the center of said preheater and at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the preheater but for'practical pur oses instead of a single preheater a pair 0 preheatersare 'mounted in horizontal alinement and provided with flanges 15 at their inner ends which ar'e'secured in any well known manner to the wall of the cracking cylinder 14. Itwill be understood, that the, wall of the vertical cracking cylinder 14 separates the horizontal preheater 12 from the preheater 13. Nevertheless the horizontal preheaters the material withm the horizontal preheaters in a constant state of agitation.

The shaft 17 is provided with a pair of spaced cranks 24 and 25 within the vertical cracking cylinder 14 to which are connected reciprocatin rods respectively 26 and 27. A plurality oi agitating discs 28 and 29 are mounted on each of the reciprocating rods 26 and 27 and,.as shown in Figure '5,-and each of these discs are provided with a plurality of spaced perforations 3'0 through which the vapors of the oil, which has been cracked in the horizontal preheaters 12 and 13, is further agitated by the reciprocation of the paddles by means of the respective connecting rods 26 and 27 and the cranks 24 and 25. The upper end'of the rods 26 and 27 are slidablymounted in bearings 31 formed in a diametrically disposed bar 32. it standard 33 is connected at its upper end with a bar 32 and at its lower end to the center of the conically sha ed bottom 35 oi the vertical'craclring cylin er.

A pipe 36 which is connected with a source of steam under pressure passes through the bottom ofthe preheaters l2 and 13 and vertical cracking cylinder 14 for aiding in increasing the temperature and it desired the pipe may be erforated for admitting live steam to the hydrocarbon in said cracking cylinder. Drains 38 are connected to the lower ends of the preheaters and the vertical boiler tor draining on the residue of the oil after the lighter hydrocarbons have been rei moved from the same. Each of the top walls of the preheaters 12 and 13 are provided with oil inlet conduits 39 which are connected with a source for directly supplying by gravity or, if necessary, under pressure, 011 to the said preheaters. A compressed air dome 40 is in open communication with the top of the preheatersl2 and 13. A pipe 41, which is in communication with the dome 40 by means of a short connection 42, is adapted to supply air under pressure to the dome and thus to the top of the preheaters 12 and 13.

The upper end of the vertical cracking cyl in'der 14 is coneshaped, as shown at 42 and through the apex of which is inserted an arm 43 of a T-pipe 44. The inner end of the branch arm 48 is provided with an enlargement 45 and below which is adapted'to reciprocata a valve 46 connected with a stem 47. The inner end of the stem is slidable in the perforated boss 48 and the valve is maintained in its lowermost position by means of a resilient spring 49, which is adapted to resist a certain degree of pressure within the cracking cylinder beforethe valve is operated and moved upwardly into the chamber 45 for permitting the va orized lighter hydrocarbons to pass throng 1 the pipe 43 and into the branches 50 and 51, of the pipe 44, which branches are connected with cooling coils 52. The coils are maintained at a low. temperature by fiowin water in the tank- 53 or cool air may be blown directly onto the, coils. From the coils 52 extends a ipe 54 which forms the inlet conduit for t e second unit of the battery. The second unit is constructed exactly like the first unit and is connected with the third unit by a pipe 55 in a manner similar to the connection between the first two units of the battery. Each of the units are exactly alike in every respect except that the first unit is elevated by means of the frame 1. The second unit is carried by the frame 2 and is lower than the first unit but higher than the third unit. Any number of units may be employed in this connection which may e desired or required in certain cases. The third unit, designated generally by the numeral 56, has-a pipe 57 which leads to a storage tank for collecting the lighter hydrocarbons. I

"When the coils 52 are cooled by water the pipes 58 and 59 are connected with the usual water supply for supplying the cooling chamber 53 with water.

The operation of my device is as follows:

Qil is supplied to the preheaters 12 and 13 until the oil level is reached as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2. The burners 8, 9

and 10 are lighted and heat applied to the three stills. it greater flame may be employed at the burners 8 and 10 than at burner 9.01 vice versa as the conditions of the case may warrant. Compressed air is admitted through the domes 40 and is adapted to be churned into the heated oil by means of thepaddle wheels 21 and the agitators 19 and 20. The blades of the agitators are set at such an angle that they will throw the oil directly towards the paddle wheels 21 wherei by the oil is thoroughly churned and mixed with the compressed. air. This churning action co-acting with the heat creates a foamy mass and this convective action brings the combined foam and oil under the in? fluence of the perforated discs in the vertical branch of the still and is thereby sub jected to the action of the disc plates 28 and and under the eddying action created under and over the discs distends into film form the oil and foam and permits free disengagement of the vapors of the oil entangled therein which, because of pressure conditionsptendto remain associated with the liquidoil; This provision therefore effects a considerably greater yield of gasoline or other lighter hv droc'arbons than-would otherwise-occur. ill passes' fro'm the horizontal preheaters'12 and 13.through the opemngs 16 at the bottom of the cracking cylinder 14 andreci rocating rods 26 and 27 and again thoroug y churns the in the vertical cracking, cylinder.'- The lighter hydrocarbons which have been yaporized gradually force the valve 46 rearwardly towards the chamber 45 when the pressure within the boiler 14 becomes sufliciently great to overcome the tension of the sp 44 is connected to the condensing coils, 52 pipes 51 where the lighter hydrocarbons in thestate of va r are condensed in the coils 52 and throng the, pipes 54 are carriedto the next succeeding unit of a battery of the cooperating horizontal preheaters and vertical craclnng cylinder. 1

The openings 16 are sufliciently large to vpermit thefree passage of the oil' from the longitudinal preheaters to the vertical cracking cylinder and-at the same time they are placed sufliciently below the level of the oil in the cracking cylinder in order to prevent the easyaccess of the compressed air to the cracking cylinder 14 from the preheaters 12 and 13. If desired or when required steam may be admitted with the compressed air through the domes 40.

The combined action of the fuel heat, compressed air, steam, propellers 19 andc20 and the paddle wheels 21 located respectively in the preheaters 12 and 13 and the combined action of the heat, steam and the rising and falling of the agitating discs in the vertical cracking cylinder 14 and in connection with thepressure maintained in the vertical cracking cylinder tends to thoroughly break up the molecules of the crude oil vapors for the production of the lighter hydrocarbons which are ultimately cooled in the vapor.- izing coils 52.

The valve casing 61 is employed in the pipe line 41 for compressed air for permitting the flow of the compressed air to the horizontal still domes 40 and since the flat valves 62 are of the check valve type they will prevent the flow of fluid from thehorlzontal preheaters to the pipes 41. u

Upon the inner wall of the vertlcal cracking cylinder 14 and at the opening-16 at the lower end of said cracking cylinder, check valves 16 are provided which permit the flow of fluid from the horizontal preheaters to the vertical working cylinders but prevent the flow of fluid from the vertical cracking ing 49. The pipe heaters, 'a'vertical cracking c linderinterconnected withthe said pre eaters below the oil level therein, stirrers in the preheaters, stirrers in the vertical cracking cylinder,"means'forheating the still, and means for admittingcompressed air to the' horizontal preheaters.

2 In an apparatus for cracking oil, a plural ty of horizontal preheaters, a vertical cracking cylinder interconnected-with the ing the vapors in the said cracking cylinder in a constant state of agitation. I

3. In a device for cracking oil, a still composed of a plurality of preheaters, a vertical cracking cylinder interconnected with the horizontal preheaters below the oil level-in said preheaters, stirrers .in the horizontal preheaters, stirrers in the .vertical cracking cylinder, means for heating the entire still, means including ducts for admitting compressed air to the horizontal preheaters, and a steam pipe passing through said preheaters and the cracking cylinder for heating the contents of the still and for supplying live steam to the same. a

4. In an apparatus for cracking oil," a

'still composed'of a plurality of horizontal preheaters, a vertical cracking cylinder interconnected with the said horizontal preheaters below the oil level therein, stirrers in the horizontal preheaters, stirrers in the vertical cracking cylinder. means for heatmg the entire still, means for admitting .compressed air to the preheaters, a steam pipe passing through the horizontal preheaters.

and the vertical cracking cylinder for heating the contents of the still, domes connected with the preheaters, and a conduit connected with the domes for supplying compressed air thereto.

7 5. In an oil cracking apparatus, a still composed of a plurality of horizontal preheaters, a vertical cracking cylinder con; nected at its lower end with said horizontal preheaters, a connection placing the I preheaters in communication with each other,

1. In an apparatus for cracking oil, a still composed of a plurality of horizontal prello means for heating the preheaters and the vertical cracking cylinder, means for admitting compressed air to the preheaters, and means for agitatingthe contents of-the still.

6. In an oil cracking apparatus, a still composed of a vertical'crac ing cylinder, horizontal preheaters located in horizontal alignment and secured to the lower end of the cracking cylinder, the walls of the cracking cylinder where connected to the adjacent end of the preheaters being provided with openings for placing the preheaters in communication with the cracking cylinder and providing a directcommunication between the preheaters through the lower ends of the cracking cylinder, burners for heating the still and means connected with the cracking cylinder for carrying oil the vaporized hydrocarbons.

7. In an oil cracking apparatus, a plurality of stills connected together, each still comprising a pair of horizontal preheaters in axial alignment, a vertical cracking cylinder connected to the adjacent ends of the horizontal reheaters and separating said preheaters 'rom each other, the lower ends of the walls of the cracking cylinder having openings providing a direct communica tion between the preheaters and between the preheaters and cracking cylinder, agitating means in the preheaters and vertically reciprocating agitating means in the cracking cylinder, means for supplying the pre-,

heaters above the level of the liquid content with compressed air, and means for withdrawing the vaporized hydrocarbons from the top of the cracking cylinder.

8. In an oil cracking apparatus, a still composed of a vertical cracking cylinder and horizontal preheaters connected thereto, said preheaters being located in horizontal alignment and secured to the ,lower end of the cracking cylinder, the walls of the said cracking cylinder where connected to the adjacent end of the preheaters being provided with openings for placing said preheaters in communication with the cracking cylinder and providing a direct communication be.-

tween the preheaters through the lower end of the cracking cylinder, burners for heating the still, means connected with the cracking cylinder for carryin off the vaporized hydrocarbons, and a va ve for controlling the flow of said vaporized hydrocarbons from the cracking cylinder, and for maintaining the contents of said cracking cylinder under a predetermined pressure.

9. In an oil cracking ap aratus, a still composed of a plurality of orizontal preheaters with a vertical cracking cylinder interconnected therewith below the oil level of said preheaters, a shaft passing directly through the longitudinal axis of the premenace heaters and through the cracking cylinder,

a portion of the shaft within said cracking cylinder being provided with cranks, means adapted to be reciprocated for agitating the contents of the cracking cylinder connected with the cranks, a paddle wheel located in each preheater and rigidly connected with the shaft, propellers mounted upon opposite sides of the paddle wheel and adapted to force the liquid contents of the preheaters towards the paddle wheel.

10. In an apparatus for cracking oil, a still composed of a plurality of horizontal preheaters, a vertical cracking cylinder interconnected therewith below the oil level of said preheaters, a shaft passing directly through the longitudinal axis of the horizontal preheaters and through the cracking cylinder, the portion of the shaft within tie cracking cylinder being provided with cranks, means adapted to be reciprocated for agitating the contents of the cracking cylin der connected with the cranks, a paddle wheel located in each preheater and rigidly connected with the shaft, propellers mounted upon opposite sides of the paddlewheel and adapted to force the liquid contents of the preheaters toward the paddle wheel, domes connected with each of the preheaters, means for supplying the domes and the upper portion of the horizontal preheaters with compressed air, and burners for heating the contents of the still.

11. In an apparatus for cracking oil, a still composed of a plurality of horizontal preheaters with a vertical cracking cylinder interconnected therewith below the oil level of said preheaters, a shaft passing directly through the longitudinal axis of the preheaters and through the cracking cylinder, the portion of the shaft within the cracking cylinder being provided with crankameans adapted to be reciprocated for agitating the contents of the cracking cylinder connected to the cranks, a paddle wheel located in each preheater and rigidly connected with the shaft, propellers mounted upon opposite sides of the paddle wheel and adapted to force the liquid contents of said preheaters towards the paddle wheel, and means for withdrawing the vaporized hydro-carbons from thecracking cylinder, and means for maintaining a predetermined pressure within the cracking cylinder.

HARLEY A. W. HOWCOTT. 

